St. Catharines Preparing For World Rowing Championships

City expecting an influx of athletes and visitors as event starts on the 18th

St. Catharines is preparing to welcome 1800 athletes, coaches and managers from over 60 countries as they play host for the 2024 World Rowing Championships.

There are a variety of temporary disruptions and safety measures that will be in place to ensure the city provides a safe and secure event. 

The world rowing championships run from August 18th to the 25th. 

Event Equipment Load-In and Martindale Pond Pedestrian Bridge Closure

Load-in activities are currently underway at Henley Island, affecting the surrounding
areas, as well as Rennie Park where Fan Fest celebrations will be taking place.
Equipment is being brought in and set up, having an impact on access to Henley Island
Drive and areas of the island. Please note that to ensure the community’s safety,
access is restricted, and security personnel are in place. Residents are encouraged to
avoid the area.

As part of the event's safety and emergency response planning, the pedestrian bridge at
Martindale Pond is temporarily closed to the public to accommodate the event. The
bridge will be a key point of access and egress for ticket holders during the event with
controlled access in place.

Shuttle and Parking Information

From Aug. 18 to 25, show your event accreditation pass or a ticket to the event, and you
can ride on any Niagara Region Transit regular scheduled bus route to Rennie Park on
Lakeport Road for free.
A complimentary 30-minute shuttle service will also be available during this period,
running in a continuous loop from Bill Burgoyne Arena to St. Francis School, Rennie
Park, and the Craig Swayze Memorial Grandstand, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Mega
Worlds Fan Festival Nights (Aug. 21 to 24), shuttle service will be extended until 11 p.m.
Complimentary parking is available in the prime lot at Bill Burgoyne Arena, 129 Linwell
Road, for the week. A secondary lot at St. Francis Catholic School, 541 Lake Street, will
be available once the prime lot is full. Tickets are not required to access parking and
shuttles from Burgoyne Arena.

Traffic Safety Measures for Concerts

Please be aware that there will be intermittent lane and road closures in the area during
The Trews concert on Wednesday, Aug. 21 which is set to begin at 7:30 p.m. These
temporary closures are necessary to ensure the safety and proper flow of concert
attendees.

 In addition, as the City continues to work with its partners, additional traffic safety measures may be announced closer to the dates of the concert events